ohmidog!

In the year and a half I’ve been writing, taking photos and assembling ohmidog!, I’ve amassed quite a few dog photos. And, thanks to my trademark photographic technique — take 100 pictures and one or two  might accidentally be good — some of them are even exhibit-worthy.

So an exhibit it is: “Hey, That’s MY Dog!”

Starting with opening night festivities on May 3, and through May 10, my photos of more than 150 south Baltimore dogs — possibly even your’s — will be on display at Captain Larry’s, 601 E. Fort Avenue, with profits from the exhibit going to Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter (BARCS).

Above is a preview of the exhibit, set to music by David Israel and performed earlier this month at the South Baltimore Hootenanny, a semi-regular gathering of semi-regular musicians who congregate at Captain Larry’s.

Thanks to Captain Larry’s for providing the venue, and to sponsors K-9 Kraving and Lucky Lucy’s Canine Cafe.

All of the dogs in the exhibit are, or at least once were, from south Baltimore. Most of the photos were taken at Riverside, Federal Hill and Latrobe parks. A handful of dogs now residing, and available for adoption, at BARCS are also included. (BARCS is where I adopted my dog Ace, almost  five years ago.)

Those familiar with Captain Larry’s might wonder how one might exhibit photos there — given that nearly every available inch of wall-space already has something hanging. You’ll have to show up to see my solution.

There will be free doggie treats Monday night (while supplies last) and all the unframed prints will be available for purchase. (Dogs will have to view the exhibit from outside.) There is no cover charge, but you are welcome — even if you don’t buy a photo — to make a donation to BARCS.

Hope to see you there.

The trial of Abby Toll, the former University of Colorado student accused of taping a dog to a refrigerator during a dispute with her boyfriend, came to a dramatic end last week, with a guilty verdict and protests from Toll that she didn’t act alone.

Minutes after a jury convicted her on a felony charge of animal cruelty for  sticking her boyfriend’s shiba inu upside-down on the side of a refrigerator,  Toll insisted she was not solely responsible for the abuse.

“Bryan Beck knows what he did to that dog,” the Boulder Daily Camera quoted Toll as saying, referring to her ex-boyfriend. When asked by a reporter if Beck taped the dog to the refrigerator, she answered, “Yes he did.”

Neither Beck nor Toll testified in the case.

The shiba inu — then named Rex — had his legs, snout and tail bound with hair ties and packing tape before being taped upside down to a refrigerator in a Boulder apartment last April.

The guilty verdict came after two hours of deliberation. Toll, who now lives in Chicago, faces up to 18 months in prison. She is scheduled to be sentenced May 28.

Her attorney, George Kokus, said Colorado’s felony animal cruelty statute was misapplied in the case. Before the law was put on the books in 2002, animal cruelty violations were treated as misdemeanors in Colorado.

“The legislature’s intent was that this law should be used on serial animal abusers,” Kokus said. “The serial murderers of cats and dogs, that has a systematic torture plan to it.” Kokus, in the interview in the video above, also seems to imply that Beck played a role in the taping.

During the trial, animal-rights advocates stood outside the Boulder County Justice Center with signs protesting animal abuse.

The dog has since been adopted and is living in a new home, under a new name.

An 11-year-old dog named Chandi dazzled the judges with her dancing on an episode of “Britain’s got Talent” that aired Saturday.

And her owner wasn’t bad, either.

A piano and violin teacher named Tina and her rescue dog Chandi performed a dance — Chandi with a sore on her leg, no less — that led to a standing ovation from the audience and the judges.

For more information on the duo, you can check out Tina and Chandi’s 
website. You can learn more about dancing with dogs at the World Canine Freestyle Organization.

Maryland SPCA officials say the turnout for yesterday’s March for the Animals rivaled that of last year’s, with thousands showing up to walk their dogs and raise money for the SPCA’s shelter and other programs.

Not all walkers had dogs, as the Baltmore Sun’s Jill Rosen reported on her blog “Unleashed.”

Diane Bateman marched with a picture of her beloved beagle Molly pinned to her chest. The dog died six years ago at 14. While she was alive, she never missed a chance to joing the march, Bateman said.

“It’s a nice way to still do something with Molly and to support a great cause,” Bateman said.

Thousands of others showed up at Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park for the event, which is the SPCA’s largest annual fundraiser.

SPCA Executive Director Aileen Gabbey said that, though figures weren’t available, the event might have drawn more people than last year’s, when an estimated 5,000 showed up, bringing in more than $360,000.

(Photo: Baltimore Sun “Unleashed”)